It Takes Two to Tango
by The Sinful Archer
Summary: Ally Jackson is an ordinary young woman of 25, who lives with her blood-crying cousin/best friend, Martha Todd, who cant seem to hold a job. Then one day Ally's mother is mysteriously murdered. Sherlock Holmes is put on the case, and Ally starts to fall head over heels in love with him. It's up to Sherlock to solve the mystery of Ally's mum's death, as Ally loves him from afar.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Ally Jackson rolled her eyes at her cousin's hair-brained idea. "Martha, you can't just go looking for a murderer. Do you WANT to get killed?" She asked. "No," Martha replied, "I want to catch a murderer!" Ally sighed. Martha had always been the daring one. She, on the other hand, was always the poor or fat one. Ally suddenly heard a noise in the background. "Martha, what was that?" She asked her cousin.  
>"Ooh... Maybe it's the MURDERER!" Martha teased, secretly nervous, but not wanting Ally to know.<br>"Marty, stop. What if it actually is?" Martha let out a breathy laugh. Ally could tell Martha was scared. There was another noise. "Wait, Ally, I just saw something move." Martha said. "Martha, if you're trying to scare me, it's not funny!" Ally snapped at her cousin.  
>"Ally..." Martha breathed, watching the two shadowy figures move in the old building she was in, "I'm not joking." Ally could hear the seriousness in her cousin's tone. Martha broke into a run for the door. The shadowy figures, however, were running in Martha's direction, causing for a painful collision. Ally heard a loud THUD on Martha's end of the phone.<br>"Martha! Are you ok?" She asked her cousin.  
>"Yeah, I'm fine," Martha replied, "just a little- oh my god."<br>"What?" Ally asked frantically, "what's wrong?"  
>"Alls, I'm gonna have to call you back..." Martha replied, promptly hanging up the phone. She looked at the man she was laying on top of. He looked back at her with wide, blue eyes. "Um, hey." Martha said.<br>"Please get off of me," the man replied, "you're crushing me." Martha quickly got off of the man.  
>"Sorry about that." She said, holding out a hand to him, "I'm Martha Todd. Who are you?"<br>"John," the man replied, "John Watson. And this is my flatmate, Sherlock Holmes." Martha gasped. "There is no way Ally is gonna believe this." She muttered.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

"So you actually MET them?!" Ally squealed excitedly the next day as she and Martha strolled through town on their way to the library where Ally worked. "What did they look like? What did their voices sound like? Tell me EVERYTHING!" she continued. "Well," Martha started, "they kind of looked-" she was cut off by Ally as the two arrived at the library. "Ugh. Listen, I gotta work. Tell me about them when I get back to the flat?" She pleaded. Martha chuckled and rolled her eyes. Ally was an avid reader of John Watson's blog, as well as the blog of Sherlock Holmes. "Sure." She replied. Ally grinned, thanked Martha and ran inside the library. Martha turned and hailed a cab home. It was a seemingly normal day, but little did the two cousins know, everything was about to change...

Ally walked into the small flat a sobbing mess. Martha hopped up from where she was sitting and ran to her cousin. "Ally! What's wrong? Are you ok?" Ally sobbed and shook her head. "M-martha. It's m-my mum," Ally paused here to let out a few sobs, "s-she's been murdered." Martha gasped. "Oh my god, Alls, I am SO sorry!" Ally stumbled to a chair and flopped down. "I'm an orphan now, Marty!" She cried, "do you know what this means?!" Martha looked at her brokenhearted cousin. She could definitely use some cheering up. "It means that both your parents are dead?" She suggested. In response, Ally let out a wail of anguish. "Okay! Okay! Sorry!" Martha apologized, "I thought that would make you laugh!" Ally continued to cry. Martha bit her lip. Then she got an idea. "Lightbulb!" She said, grabbing Ally's hand, "c'mon Ally! I know just the man for the job..." She pulled her wailing cousin out the door, ready for Ally to finally see the detective she had been longing to meet.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

It was raining.  
>Not one of those huge storms that always seem to happen on days where big things happen and lives are changed, but a small one. A drizzle. Not to mention it was the middle of the night. The two figures (one in a trench coat and the other holding an umbrella over the two of them), walked along the street. They knew exactly where they were headed. When they arrived at the tall building, the person wearing the trench coat (aka Martha), started to climb up the fire escape. The person holding the umbrella (Ally) stayed on the ground. "Martha! Are you insane? Why don't you just use the door?" She called up. "Because," Martha replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "this is more exiting!" Ally sighed and started to follow her cousin up. The door was probably locked, anyway.<p>

"... And that's why we snuck into your flat at two in the morning." Martha concluded her tale, looking expectantly at John, who was lying in bed. Ally stood next to Martha, her sadness had returned, and she was sobbing openly now. Everyone turned to look at the doorway as Sherlock walked in, wearing his pajamas. Ally looked up from her tears at the man in the doorway. The man whose blog she was always on. She stared at him, mouth agape. He was... He was the most handsome man she'd ever seen, and she lost her heart to him almost as soon as she laid eyes on him. She felt her heart flood with something she'd never felt before. Love. She was in love with a man she'd just met only a few seconds ago. Sherlock looked at her. "What are you staring at?" He asked her. Ally blushed and closed her mouth. His voice was like melted chocolate. "Hello," she whispered shyly, "I'm Allison Beatrice Jackson. This is my cousin Martha. My mum has been murdured." Sherlock looked the two cousins up and down. "How's your cat?" He asked Martha. Martha shot him a confused look. "How'd you know about Muffin?" She questioned. "Oh, here we go again..." John muttered. "It's like I told you, Marty. He's a genius." Ally supplied. Sherlock smirked smugly. "Now, you're here because your mother was murdered. I didn't deduce that. I heard you talking to John." Martha looked at the two men. "So, are you two... You know..."  
>"NO!" They shouted, "we're not a couple. Just flatmates. Just friends." "Oh. Ok, just curious." Martha said.<br>"Anyway," Sherlock said pointedly, "I suppose we can talk again sometime. My number's on my blog. Now please, go home." Ally nodded, almost in a trance. Her heart was beating a million miles an hour, and she felt like she might explode, or throw up, or both.

As Ally and Martha walked home, Ally continued to think about Sherlock Holmes. "So, I take it you have a crush on Sherlock?" Martha asked. "No, I think I'm in love with him." Ally responded. "Alls, you saw him one time. How can you know you love him?" Martha said skeptically. Ally sighed. "I can't explain it, I just do." And with that, the two cousins entered their flat and went to their separate rooms, and slept until morning.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Ally hadn't realized how long she'd been sleeping until the sun flooded through her window. She'd been hoping to get up much earlier, but obviously her body hadn't let her. "You don't have to shine, but you do have to rise, cousin!" Martha's voice rang out and made Ally's head hurt worse than anything. "Ow..." she groaned, but not loud enough for Martha to hear. Her cousin was grinning at her. "What's the story, morning glory?" Ally sniffled. "My mother is dead." Martha sighed. "Yeah, so are a lot of our family members. Ready to go see Sherlock and John?" Ally instantly perked up. "Oh yeah, that's today!" She rolled out of bed and grabbed her jacket, which lay rumpled up on the floor. "Yeah, let's go!" Martha looked concerned. "Er, Alls? You're in your pajamas." Ally looked down. "Oh! Oh..." she scowled and ran off to her closet. "What do you wear when you're going to see the world's only consulting detective?!" Martha looked down. "Er, I'm wearing a blouse, jeans, and my trench coat. You?" Ally groaned and looked around. "I know! That skirt you got me last year!" She grabbed it and ran off. Ten minutes later, they were walking down the streets of London, headed to Baker Street. When they got to the door, her cousin ran up and knocked on it far too eagerly. "We're here!" Ally stood there, straightening her skirt and adjusting her shirt. The door opened, and Sherlock was standing there. "Ah, Miss Todd." He looked at her indifferently. He glanced over her shoulder at Ally. "Who's your friend?" Ally felt her heart break. "Um, I'm Ally. Remember? From yesterday? It's my mother that's been murdered..." Sherlock squinted at her. "Sorry, I must have deleted you. I delete things that don't make impressions." He turned and walked back into the flat. Martha looked ready to slap him, but Ally just stood there trying not to cry. It was going to be a difficult time loving him, she could tell.

Author's Note: My co-writer Riley wrote this one. Yippee!


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Ally shyly stepped into the flat and looked around. She hadn't really gotten to see it last night because it was so dark. "Is that a... Skull?" She asked Sherlock, pointing to the skull sitting on the mantel. "Well yes, what else would it be?" Sherlock answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Ally nodded as if she were talking to a crazy person. "So... Do you have a girlfriend?" She asked, figuring she might as well get the awkward part over with if he did. "No. No boyfriend either. And I'm not gay. Or looking." Ally gave a small nod. "So, what are we going to do? About my mum, I mean?" she asked. Sherlock smiled. "Well, first thing's first: We're going to have to go back to the scene of the crime. Think you can handle going back to the house?" Ally gulped and nodded slightly. "To help my mum, yes." Sherlock patted her on the shoulder lightly. "That's the spirit. Alright, where's my blogger?" Ally shrugged. "I think he's getting ready..." John walked in, looking half asleep. "Here...I'm here. Sorry." Sherlock glanced over at him. "Why'd you sleep on the floor?" John looked slightly surprised. "I'm not gonna ask how you got that." Ally looked sympathetically. "Oh, my cousin didn't cause that, did she?" John shrugged. "She just took my bed, it's fine." Ally facepalmed. "I thought she went back to our flat with me!" Just then, Martha skipped in, looking well rested. "I did! Then I came back here." She pulled a gun out of her shirt. "Let's go catch a killer!" Ally put a determined look on her face and stood up straighter. "My pleasure."


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6  
>_<p>

Ally's heart was racing as she sat next to Sherlock in the cab on the way to St. Bart's. Partially because she was sitting next to a handsome man, but mostly because she was nervous about finding out how her mother died. Ally's mother, Maria, had been a kind woman despite Ally's family's constant poorness and near starvation. Ally's father, Damien, had died of lung cancer when Ally was 13. She quickly shook herself out of these memories. It still hurt to think of her kind, loving parents.  
>Martha's childhood, on the other hand, had been almost the exact opposite. She'd grown up rich. Her father, Daniel, had drowned on a navy trip when Martha was four. After that, Martha's mother, Gladys, became cruel and blamed Martha for her husband's death. Gladys took her anger out on Martha by abusing her both physically and verbally. "I'm like Snow White or Rapunzel!" Martha still frequently said. Ally shook her head again. She didn't want to think about any more sad things today than she had to. She felt a tap on her shoulder, realizing she'd been looking out the window blankly while she thought. "Isn't that right, Alls?" Martha asked her cousin. "Huh? Sorry, I was thinking. Say that again?" Martha rolled her eyes and sighed. "I was telling them that you worked at the library." Ally nodded, "yeah, it's nice. I'm sure it's not as exciting as this though."<br>"I suppose that depends on how you feel about books." Sherlock said, giving a small grin that made Ally blush. Martha and John rolled their eyes. "Oh," Sherlock said suddenly, "we're here." He got out of the car and held open the door for Ally and the others. "de cette façon, Miss Jackson." ('This way, Miss Jackson.') Sherlock said. Ally was pleasantly surprised. He spoke French? So did she! She smiled widely and replied, "Pourquoi, Merci, Monsieur Holmes!" ('why, thank you, Mister Holmes!') Sherlock as well looked surprised. "où avez-vous appris à parler français ?" ('Where did you learn to speak French?') Ally's smile widened. "école." (school) she replied. Sherlock spoke again, this time in English. "Interesting." He said, looking at Ally as if this was the first time he was really meeting her. "Well, let's not waste any more time. In we go." Sherlock held the door for his three companions. John walked by last. "What was that?" he asked the taller man. "That, John," he replied, "was our new client."


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Sherlock looked at the body on the table as Martha stood outside the room, comforting her weeping cousin. Sherlock rolled his eyes, on the verge of asking her to PLEASE cry a little quieter, but figured he shouldn't, as that might be considered what normal people called "rude". So he shut the rest of the world out and just concentrated on his work, muttering things to himself as he went. "Thin...  
>Around 60 years of age... No visible wounds... Possibly poison? Something hard to detect?" John nodded and shrugged. "Maybe," he said, "I don't know." Sherlock sighed in exasperation and put his magnifying glass back in his coat pocket. "Allison? Martha? Could you two come in here a moment? I need you to tell me some things." the two woman walked in. Sherlock's mind immediately started firing when he observed Ally. 'Red, puffy eyes, tear-stained face, abnormal breathing.' He thought Sad. That had to be it. 'Ha! Very good, me! You deserve an award... Focus, Holmes, focus!'<br>Ally was staring at her mother's hand with a funny expression on her face. Sherlock noticed almost immediately. "Problem?" Ally nodded. "Her wedding ring." Sherlock glanced at the body. "She's not wearing one, Allison." He said slowly, as if she was a small child. "Yes, that's the problem. She ALWAYS wore her wedding ring. Always..." Sherlock nodded. "Interesting...I'll take that into account." Martha smiled sadly. "I asked her once why she always wore it...she said she'd die if she took it off." She suddenly looked startled. "IT CAME TRUE! OH GOD!" Sherlock rolled his eyes. "Let's just look for evidence around London. John, you and Martha go look downtown. Allison and I will look in and around that old hotel." John nodded and walked out, Martha close behind. Sherlock turned and smiled at Ally. "I guess it's just you and me." Ally blushed. "I guess it is..."


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Sherlock had taken Ally to walk around the hotel for awhile looking for clues. "Well," Sherlock said, observing the room where Ally's mother had been found, "I don't see any bloodstains. Do you have any idea why she'd have been here?" Ally shook her head. "No, I don't. Maybe since there's no sign of struggle here, maybe the killer... Um... 'Got' her in a different room and then brought her in here?" Sherlock looked at her. "That's actually quite smart, Allison." Ally beamed. "Thank you. I consider that a big compliment coming from someone like you." Sherlock puffed his chest out in pride slightly. "I am pretty amazing, aren't I?" Ally giggled. "Shh..." Sherlock replied, "they could still be here looking for victims." Both of them fell immediately silent and continued to look around the place. It was dark, and you could easily see that it had been abandoned for a long time. Suddenly, they heard a noise and saw a shadow dart across the opposite wall. Ally felt adrenaline shoot through her. Sherlock stepped a little closer to her, somewhat protectively. In his quietest whisper, Sherlock said "Let's try and follow whoever that was. It could be who we're looking for."  
>"It could be dangerous."<br>"I've got a gun."  
>Ally rolled her eyes as Sherlock pulled her forward a bit. Together they followed the shadowy figure out of the hotel and somewhere else entirely.<p>

John honestly wanted to look for evidence. He did. But he was too captivated in conversation with the young woman helping him. There was something in the way she talked that kept him listening. As she rambled on in her thick cockney accent, he walked through each room, looking at the walls and floors for evidence. It was then that he saw the shadow run across the hall. He clamped a hand over her mouth to quiet her, and to his surprise, she didn't question it. She simply watched the shadow with wide eyes, clearly as frightened as he was. Suddenly, someone tapped John on the shoulder, nearly scaring him out of his wits. It was Sherlock, who was gripping Ally's hand tightly. He made a motion to keep quiet. John nodded. All of a sudden, the shadow turned around and looked at the group in silence. Suddenly, it spoke. "Hello, Holmes. Dr. Watson. Ally, you're looking pale. And Martha, why the long face? I think we were both expecting this someday." It was a woman's voice. John pointed his gun at the figure and loaded his gun. "You have five seconds to tell me who you are." The shadow sighed. "I'm the woman who killed Maria Jackson. Please don't make me do the same to you." John nodded and put his finger on the trigger. "Right..." He wasn't actually going to shoot. But apparently Martha didn't know that. "JOHN, DON'T!" She screamed as loud as her voice would allow, scaring John, and making him pull the trigger. It missed, and reverberated off of the metal linings on the doorframe. When he looked back up, the shadow was gone. "Martha, what the HELL was that?!" He turned to look at her, and felt his heart stop. She was clutching her hip, and there was a red stain spreading around her hand. "You know, for a soldier, you've got bad aim..." That's when she collapsed.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

"Martha!" John and Ally cried as the small woman fell to the floor. Sherlock's brain was racing at full speed to form a plan. That woman, whoever she'd been, was too far gone now to catch. Sherlock sighed and decided to focus on Martha. He blocked out John's panicked ramblings and Ally's tearful sobs so he could think. He quickly took off his scarf, coat, and shirt. He handed his shirt to John. "Hold this on the wound. It'll help staunch the flow." Sherlock ordered, "And Allison, call an ambulance." John and Ally nodded in response and did as they were told. As Sherlock put his coat and scarf back on, he felt the freezing air nipping at his pale skin. Ally, on the other hand, was too busy worrying about her cousin and calling an ambulance to notice Sherlock's present shirtlessness. That left John alone with Martha, who was having a hard time breathing at the moment. He'd seen people die like this before. Hell, this was how his own BROTHER had died! The last thing he wanted was a repeat, especially with someone as nice as Martha. "John," she gasped, "John, I need to stay awake. Talk to me. Please. Say anything." John's hands shook as he held Sherlock's now bloodstained shirt to Martha's wound and racked his brain for something to say. "Can I tell you a story?" he asked. Martha nodded weakly in response. "Alright. Once upon a time, there were a brother and sister named Hansel and Gretel," he began. "G-good," Martha stammered, "keep going." John nodded and started to tell her the story of Hansel and Gretel, but a few minutes later she stopped him. "John, my head feels fuzzy, and I think I see a light." John's heart nearly stopped. "Martha, you're going to be just fine. I promise." the small woman nodded and closed her eyes. Then John noticed something: Martha had blood streaming down her cheeks. He let out a surprised yelp, and her eyes opened. "There's blood on your face," Martha sighed. "Yeah, I have haemolacrea. It's when you cry blood. Look it up." and with that, she fainted. John heard the faint noises of an ambulance, and everything was a blur after that. He vaguely remembered riding to the hospital.

_How?_  
>That was the question that crossed John's mind over and over.<br>How did he not think of the consequences?  
>How could he let Martha get hurt like this?<br>_My fault... my fault..._  
><em>Please don't die.<em>  
><em>I'm sorry...<em>  
>It was all his fault for shooting at that awful woman who'd killed Ally's mum.<br>The bullet hand ricocheted and hit Martha. Now, he sat next to her hospital bed, holding her hand and wishing for her to wake up. To be ok.  
><em>"Keep talking. Don't let me sleep."<em>  
>Her words bounced around in his mind. Tears streamed down his face. Slowly, he pressed his lips against her hand. "Please wake up." He whispered. "I'm so sorry..." Suddenly, he felt her hand move from his grasp to his shoulder. "You didn't think I'd just DIE, did you? How rude would that be? We just became friends! I wasn't raised in a barn, you know." Came the raspy voice of Martha. John sat up and hugged her gently.<p>

Now that they were waiting outside Martha's hospital room, it hit Ally that Sherlock wasn't wearing a shirt. She glanced over at him. He was pale and slightly muscular, but he didn't have a six-pack or anything. Ally thought he was rather attractive. As soon as he spoke, she looked up at him, into his clear, gray eyes. "You know, there's a flat next to ours that's empty. If you two ever need somewhere to live, I'm sure I could put in a good word with Mrs. Hudson and she'd let you stay cheap." He said. Ally blushed and murmured a thank you. An awkward silence followed until John walked out of Martha's hospital room and told them that she was awake.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10 (Three weeks later)

As Ally and Martha finished putting down the last box in their new flat (which happened to be next door to Sherlock Holmes and John Watson) they couldn't help but wonder how their lives had gotten to this point. Two weeks ago, after Martha had gotten out of the hospital, they'd found out that Martha had lost her job (again), and that they wouldn't be able to afford their flat. So, Ally gave Sherlock a call and now they were moving in. Ally sat down on the couch and sighed. She couldn't believe Sherlock Holmes was actually her next door neighbor! Ally stood up and opened a box near her, which contained all her books. She reached in and grabbed one at random. _Lily In Blossom._ Oh yes, she remembered this one. The one about the maid and her boss. Ally set it down, wondering if it was was worth a re-read when John walked in. "Hello, you two! Glad you're moving in. It should be fun! We've never had girls next door before. Well, we've never had anyone next door, but you know what I mean." he said. The girls nodded. "Need any help unpacking?" John asked.  
>"Maybe some other time. I think we've got it." Ally responded. John nodded and left, stealing one last glance at Martha before he did. Ally noticed and turned to her cousin, squealing, "I think he likes you!"<br>"Don't be stupid. I cry blood! Who could like me?"  
>"John, apparently!"<br>"Oh, shut up," Martha said, but Ally saw a hint of blush on her cheeks.

Sherlock was lying on the couch, eyes closed and two nicotine patches pressed to his arm. The woman John had tried to shoot... Who was she? Why had she killed Allison's mother? Questions currently without answers bounced around in Sherlock's skull, giving him something to occupy his boredom for the time being. Suddenly, he heard a gentle knock at the open door. He waved his hand for the person to come in, sat up, and opened his eyes. It was Allison.  
>"Hello," she said in her quiet voice, "is everything alright? John went to the store and I though I'd check on you." Sherlock nodded, noticing at today she was wearing lipstick of a candy apple red color. Actually, it looked quite nice on her.<br>"I'm fine," he said suddenly, remembering to speak, "just thinking. I do that a lot." Allison smiled and giggled quietly.  
>"I figured. You know, I'm a huge fan of your blog." Sherlock found himself pleasantly surprised.<br>"Really? People often seem to favor John's blog." Allison smiled genuinely. "I do read his, but I like yours just a bit more. And I wanted to thank you."  
>"For what?"<br>"Helping solve the case." she said. Suddenly, she leaned forward and planted a small, tentative kiss on his cheek. Then she hastily left the flat, blushing and mumbling to herself. Sherlock stood up and absentmindedly looked in the mirror. Her red lipstick had left a small mark on his cheek._ What was that all about?_ He wondered when she was gone. Miss Jackson, it seemed, was proving to be quite the conundrum.  
>And Sherlock loved conundrums.<p>

Sorry it's so short and filler-y! Anyway, I had some inspiration at 6 AM and this was born.  
>Stupid sleeping pills not working...<br>Anyway, there's some foreshadowing (first one to spot it wins a prize!) and some big words.  
>Woo-hoo!<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Ally drove to work in her beat up old car (passed down from her dad to her older siblings and then her), humming along to a Beatles song on the radio. Another day of re-shelving books was ahead of her. When she hit a red light, she glanced over at the passenger seat. A small, worn-looking paperback book sat there. _Lily_ _in_ _Blossom_ was its name. She'd decided to re-read it. She had already read it about seven times, hence the worn out look of it. Ally looked up, seeing that the light had turned green, and continued to drive to work.

"Can I hang out with you guys? I don't wanna be alone, and Ally is at work." Martha whined to Sherlock and John.  
>"I suppose," Sherlock sighed as if it was some huge inconvenience, which from what he had seen of Martha, it probably was.<br>"Yay!" Martha cried, hugging him gleefully.  
>"Do. Not. Touch. Me." Sherlock growled, making Martha jump away from him. <em>Geez, what's this guy's problem?<em> She wondered. John stepped between them.  
>"All right, that's enough. Be nice to our new neighbor, Sherlock."<br>"What for?" Sherlock asked, turning over on the couch where he was lying and wrinkling his nose. John rolled his eyes and turned to Martha.  
>"Sorry about him. He's kind of a diva."<br>"Kind of?" Martha asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow. John smiled, something Martha realized she hadn't seen him do a whole lot yet.  
>She liked his smile. It was cute.<p>

Ally hummed quietly as she respelled books. The job of a librarian was one she'd wanted ever since school, when she'd befriended the school librarian. Suddenly, she heard someone walk in and she turned around. It was Sherlock, John, and Martha.  
>"What are you three doing here?" Ally questioned.<br>"John and Martha want me to take you out for coffee." Sherlock sighed, sounding annoyed. Ally blushed.  
>"Why?" she asked.<br>"Because you're an orphan now or something and John thinks I'm lonely. It stupid." Ally tucked her hair behind her ear. "Well, I'm working now, but we can when I get off around noon. I don't mind." she smiled in return.  
>"Joy." Sherlock said sarcastically, causing John to punch him in the arm and Ally's heart to sink. John and Martha hurriedly escorted Sherlock out, promising to come back later. Ally couldn't help but smile. She had a date (kind of) with Sherlock Holmes! Her day just kept getting better and better!<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Ally practically waltzed into her flat later that day. Oh, coffee with Sherlock Holmes! She was happier than she's been in a long time. She walked in and squeaked about it with Martha for a good ten minutes. Then she realized all her clothes were still in a box.  
>Great.<br>Ally found and opened the one labeled "clothes" and started rooting through it. Dresses... Dresses... Did she even HAVE any dresses? Just as the thought crossed her mind, her fingers found something silky. Of course! She pulled out a long, red dress and frowned.  
>"Bit formal for coffee..." She realized quietly. That was alright. She'd settle. Ally looked around the box some more and found a darker pair of jeans than she was already wearing, and they were skinny jeans. Ally bit her lip. Would skinny jeans even fit her? She hoped so. After that she found a red tank top and a leather jacket. It was all coming together now. Yeah, she could make this work! Ally put the outfit on and looked in the mirror, smiling at the fact that the jeans fit her. <em>I actually look nice for once!<em> She thought happily. She reapplied her red lipstick and made her way over to Sherlock and John's flat.  
>Here went nothing.<p>

Sherlock opened the door and was surprised at what he saw. Allison actually looked... Appealing. It was also the first time Sherlock had really noticed anything feminine about her, like the fact that she was curvy, and a little bit on the plump side, but Sherlock didn't really mind that. Ally was probably about two inches shorter than he was, and only had to tilt her head up a little to smile at him.  
>"Hello!" She greeted happily, "are you ready to go?" Sherlock looked down at his clothes, same as usual. He hadn't changed, but he dressed well. It would be fine to stay as he was.<br>"Yep," he replied with a small smile. Allison seemed intelligent. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Ally smiled as Sherlock told her a story about how he'd once had to solve a crime in which the only pieces of evidence were a paperclip and a piece of string. He was talking animatedly, using his hands to help tell the story. Ally loved the way his eyes lit up when he talked about his work. She could tell he really loved it. She wanted so badly to just lean over the small table and kiss him, but she knew she couldn't. Suddenly, Sherlock stopped and looked out the window behind her. Ally looked too, and her heart sank.  
>Gladys. The woman who'd killed her mother. Sherlock stood up, grabbed his coat and ran out. Ally stood up and followed him. Running in heels wasn't a good idea, but she didn't want to lose Sherlock. What if he got hurt? She pushed herself to go faster, willing herself not to fall in her high heels. She did anyway, twisting her ankle in the process. Sherlock kept running. Ally took off her shoes and stood up. She limp-ran after the consulting detective, praying that he hadn't run too far ahead.<p>

Sherlock followed the woman, who'd broken into a run. Eventually she ran into a building, where he also followed her. It was the same building Allison's mother had died in. Sherlock slowly crept in behind her and got out his gun. The woman stopped running and stood in the middle of the room, looking as if she was waiting for someone. Suddenly, a man in a suit walked out of a dark corner. They whispered their words, and Sherlock couldn't hear them. Suddenly, he heard someone walk in behind him. He turned to look and saw that it was Allison. He brought a finger to his lips and she nodded in understanding. Soon, the man retreated into his corner and the woman turned around to leave. Swiftly, he walked over to her and put her in a headlock. Ally gasped. Sherlock Holmes had her Aunt Gladys in a headlock! Sure, she was evil, but it was still shocking.  
>"Call the police. I'll hold her here." Sherlock commanded. Ally nodded and got out her phone. This would DEFINITELY be a hit on John's blog.<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

"You have got. To be. Effing. Kidding me." Those were the first words that escaped the mouth of Martha Todd when she first got THE call. The call among calls. The call that destroyed her denial that her mother was still the cold blooded murderer that had raised her. Slamming her (quite expensive) cellular device onto the table (and cracking its screen in the process), she slipped her trench coat on with a quick, fluid motion and strode out the door, practically stomping down the street. "Why not just shoot me in the face?!" She growled to herself. Her hip suddenly plagued her with a blast of pain, almost punishing her for her words. "Oh, bugger off." She got to the (rather spooky) building quicker than she'd wanted, for she knew what awaited. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the assigned room and swallowed thickly, already feeling panic welling up inside her chest.  
>"Hello, daughter..."<br>"M-mother." There was a long pause as Martha eyed Sherlock, who was restraining her mother. "Good job, Sherlock." He nodded at her, looking slightly miffed. Another awkward silence ensued. All the while, Martha's breathing became more uneven, the tightness in her chest...well, tightening. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.  
>"WHY?! YOUR OWN SISTER, FOR GOD'S SAKE!"<br>Her mother didn't look surprised at all. She didn't look hurt, like Martha had been aiming for. She did the same thing she'd always done...ignored her daughter.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

Sherlock lay on the couch, eyes closed and hands pressed together. Martha's mother had successfully been arrested, last week, and was now in jail. The detective was now eagerly awaiting his next case. Allison walked in, wearing her usual red lipstick and smiling widely.  
>"Happy Valentine's Day!" She proclaimed. Sherlock looked at her confusedly.<br>"Valentine's Day... Which one is that again?" he replied. John sighed from his chair across the room.  
>"Day of love, Sherlock."<br>"Oh, that one." Sherlock replied, wrinkling his nose.  
>"Oh, I love Valentine's Day! So much love! I just love love..." Ally sighed dreamily. Sherlock looked at her disapprovingly.<br>"Sentiment. I try to avoid it." He said, turning over on the couch. Ally's smile faltered, but she reached over and rubbed his back gently.  
>"Maybe you just need a nap. You look tired."<br>"I don't need sleep, I need a case!"  
>"Oh hush. Don't be so grumpy." Sherlock glared at the librarian over his shoulder. "Here," she continued, "I got this for you." She handed him a small box of chocolates and then handed an identical one to John, smiling once again. "Happy Valentine's Day, boys!" she announced, and then left.<p>

By noon, Sherlock had drifted off into a light slumber. He was awoken by John shaking his shoulder and muttering "Wake up, you git. There's a case." Sherlock immediately sat up, black curls a mess. John was holding his laptop out to his flatmate, who eagerly took it and read the email John had pulled up. It read:  
><em>Dear Mr. Holmes,<em>  
><em>The museum I work at has recently robbed, but the only evidence is that a painting is gone! No traces of the thief! It would mean a lot to me if you could come investigate. <em>  
><em>Sincerely,<em>  
><em>Eve Summers.<em>  
>Sherlock grinned as he read the email. Finally, an interesting case!<br>"I'll take it!" he announced. The consulting detective then stood up and went to his room to change out of his pajamas.

Ally had been busy making cookies as Martha tried to find a good romantic comedy for them to watch. They were just about to settle down to watch _The Notebook_, after Ally put the cookies in the oven when Sherlock burst in, looking happier than they'd ever seen him.  
>"There's been a robbery!" he shouted gleefully. Martha rolled her eyes and Ally gasped. Sherlock cocked his head to the side. "What?" he asked, looking like a lost puppy. Martha snickered. Sherlock still had a lot to learn about the world...<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Sherlock looked around the crime scene, humming happily to himself as he did so. Anyone with eyes could see that he was in heaven. The tall detective grinned and muttered deductions to himself. Ally couldn't help but be distracted by the artworks on the walls, wishing that she had some artistic talent of her own. The most she could draw was stick figures. Suddenly Sherlock spoke up.  
>"Yes, it's like the email said. The intruder left no trace of their visit other than the missing painting. Except-" he stopped here and knelt down, holding his magnifying glass to the floor, "Their shoe left a print here, and it's clear how big the shoe size is, and that we're looking for a man." Everyone looked impressed, and Eve Summers, the woman who's sent the email, walked over to Sherlock, tucking her brown hair behind her ear and smiling sweetly.<br>"Thank you _so_ much for coming and checking it out. I'm sure you'll be able to find who did it." Sherlock nodded and puffed up with pride as he put his magnifying glass in his pocket. Ally had noticed that he had a rather large ego and enjoyed praise greatly.  
>"I'll come back tomorrow and look around some more." He announced, turning on his heel and striding out. His friends followed closely behind him.<p>

Ally sat across from Sherlock at his flat as he closed his eyes and thought. Ally wished sometimes that he wouldn't just sit so still for hours on end without talking. She decided to do something about it.  
>"Sherlock," she asked, "have you ever seen The Matrix?" Sherlock opened his eyes, glared at her and sighed.<br>"No. What is it?"  
>"One of my favorite movies. Want to watch it?" she asked shyly. Sherlock sighed again and rolled his eyes in reply.<br>"I suppose. It's not like I have anything better to do until tomorrow." Ally perked up and hopped out of her chair.  
>"Wonderful! I'll go get it." Sherlock drummed his fingers and wondered why this young woman seemed so interested in him. And he couldn't help but find himself slightly interested in her as well.<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16  
>_<p>

When the movie was over, it was dark outside and Ally was nodding off. Sherlock, however, looked at her earnestly.  
>"Is that it?" Sherlock asked<br>"Hm? Oh, well, there are two sequels, but they suck." Sherlock wrinkled his nose in disgust and looked at the clock.  
>"It's getting late," he said, "you should get back to your flat." Ally nodded and yawned.<br>"Yeah. I should. G'night. Sweet dreams." The tall man looked at her, clearly confused. Ally smiled and rolled her eyes. "I'll see you in the morning, but I can't go on the case with you. I have work." Sherlock nodded and turned away, checking his phone to see several texts from Lestrade, not noticing that Ally had left.  
>***<p>

As Sherlock woke up the next morning, he rubbed his face, noticing he had apparently falllen asleep on the couch. He found himself recalling his childhood, how he used to fall asleep on the couch and wake up in bed. Sherlock stood up and yawned widely, heading to the kitchen to make himself some coffee. Meanwhile, Ally was making breakfast for she and Martha.

"Make mine in the shape of trousers!" Martha requested.

Ally raised an eyebrow. "Trousers?"

Martha shrugged. "I didn't say it'd make sense."

Ally smiled and rolled her eyes, pouring some pancake batter onto the pan. Martha certainly was something. The aforementioned cousin snatched up Ally's book sitting nearby and scanned the title.  
>"Isn't this, like, the five-hundredth time you've read <em>Lily in Blossom<em>?" She questioned. Ally felt her face grow warm.  
>"Fifth," she corrected hesitantly, "And it's good. I keep telling you to read it."<br>"I don't like sad books."  
>"How do you know it's sad?"<br>"You cry every time you read it."  
>"Oh." Ally had to admit that she hadn't thought of that. It was true though. She snapped out of her thoughts and flipped Martha's pancake.<br>"Is it almost done?" Martha asked. Ally nodded and handed Martha the bottle of maple syrup and scooped the pancake onto her plate.  
>"Ta-da!" She exclaimed. Martha was already scarfing down her breakfast. Ally smiled and turned off the stove. She had to get ready for work.<p>

I'm so sorry it's so short and boring and awful but it was a real feat for me to write anything. My writer's block has been HORRIBLE. Next chapter will be better. I swear.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17  
>_<p>

(A FEW DAYS LATER)

"_There once was a chance I didn't take, and that has made all the difference. _  
><em>THE END.<em>"  
>As Ally read the words on the page for the fifth time, she felt a tear slide down her cheek. She closed the book and pressed it close to her heart, closing her eyes. <em>Lily in Blossom<em> was a book that never failed to make her cry. She took off her reading glasses and set them down next to the computer on her desk. Ally wiped away her tears and placed the battered book next to her glasses. It was time for her to go home.

***  
>Sherlock was lying on the couch, eyes closed and breathing deeply when Ally got home. He recognized her footsteps and ignored her. He was busy.<br>"Hello!" she greeted happily, "Are you alright?" Sherlock opened his eyes and glared at her.  
>"I was thinking." He clarified. Ally nodded and began to pull things out of a grocery bag. "What are you doing? Why are you in my flat, anyway?" he asked.<br>"I'm making you raisin bread as a thank you for telling me about the flat. I would be sleeping in my car right now if it wasn't for you."  
>"Is raisin bread just how you show your gratitude?"<br>"Most times, yes." Sherlock couldn't help but be intrigued by this woman. She was kind, and maybe a little too trusting, but she was motherly, too. Looking at Ally now, he could see some details he hadn't noticed before. She was definitely plump, but she had a nice figure. Her hair had been pulled back into a ponytail and she was wearing clothes that a mother would wear. Clearly she wasn't a mother, though. She lacked grey streaks. Most mothers had them.

Ally offered everyone a piece of raisin bread (which they gladly accepted) and they devoured them.  
>"Another amazing raisin bread, Alls." Martha said. Sherlock and John were each finishing their third piece. Ally sat next to Martha, looking proud. Raisin bread was her specialty. John told jokes about ex-girlfriends and everyone laughed until their sides hurt.<br>Then Sherlock's phone rang.  
>He snatched it up and answered it in one fluid motion.<br>"Lestrade? Yes. The museum? Now? Alright. John and I will be right there." He hung up and looked at John. "The culprit is at the museum right now. We have to go. Ladies, you stay."  
>"What?!" Martha cried, "Are you not letting us go because we're girls?"<br>"No, it's because you're not trained detectives and we don't want you getting hurt." Sherlock sighed in response.  
>"Screw that! It's Friday night and nothing's on the Telly. We're going." She snapped with a finality. Sherlock rolled his eyes.<br>"Fine. But bring guns."

The four of them stood at the entrance to the museum. Sherlock had formulated a plan on the way there. They would split up. Martha and Ally would go together, and John and Sherlock would go together. There were two different ways to where the criminal was. They'd each take one. Slowly, they opened the door and stepped inside, shoes clicking against the marbled floor. Ally held onto Martha's wrist with a shaking hand and wished in vain that she had shot a gun in real life as opposed to her video games. She and Martha separated from the boys, and thinking about video games helped her calm her nerves. She'd been in a video game club as a teenager. It had been all boys except for her. Ally still had all her old trophies from tournaments. She'd been their secret weapon. While she was distracted by her thoughts, Martha thought only of their objective. She held her gun close, finger on trigger just in case she needed to use it. Her hip still throbbed with pain from where John had shot her, but she was more or less used to the sensation now. Suddenly Martha heard a loud CRASH and what sounded like pottery smashing (she would know. She smashed a fair few pots in her childhood.). She turned around so fast that her neck hurt. Ally stood there, beet red, looking down at a broken pot. Martha sighed and led Ally away. Her cousin was 5'9" and a real bull in a china shop sometimes. She wondered if the boys were having better luck...  
>***<p>

Sherlock and John snuck along with practiced ease, the night air creeping in through open windows and chilling the polished marble setting. They could see their nervous breaths floathing up into the air in tiny puffs. Sherlock had gone back to switching the gun on and off from safety mode, much to John's chagrin. He glared, and Sherlock got the message. As he switched the gun back off safety mode for the last time, a loud shriek pierced the air, stopping the boys dead in their tracks.

"Which girl was that?!' John asked, panicked.  
>"It sounded like Martha..." Sherlock answered nervously. "How can you tell?<br>"...John, you've shot her before."  
>"Oh, right, right...let's go!" The boys ran off, searching for the distressed girl, guns at the ready. Sherlock burst into the room housing the Van Gogh exhibit, and felt his breath catch in his throat. In the room was Eve Summers, their client, holding a gun to Martha's head, staring fixedly at something across the room. Sherlock followed her gaze and saw Ally, standing against the opposite wall, shaking, with a terrified look in her eyes.<br>"Eve..PLEASE, please don't shoot my cousin! She has her whole l-life ahead of her! A-and so do you! Don't ruin it! Murdering an innocent woman is the easiest way to throw your life away!" Doubt flashed across Eve's face, her eyes full of fear.  
>"You...you know too much! You'll tell the police! I'll go to jail!" Her voice grew wild. "I can't go to jail!" She loaded the gun and placed her finger on the trigger, causing Martha to pull away desperately, crying out. Eve held on tight, pushing the gun against her temple roughly. John had run into the room on the side nearest Ally.<br>"What the...?" He had walked cautiously over to Ally, his eyes never leaving Eve, his gun concealed in his pocket. "Let her go. She's taken one too many bullets already." Eve smiled.  
>"Oh, she's got a bullet wound?" She whispered, somewhat unhinged. Martha gasped and tried to pull away again.<br>"Don't you h-hurt me...don't you DARE hurt me a-anymore than y-y-you have!" A sob escaped her, and she gasped sharply, hurting her throat. Eve gripped her wrist tighter, bruising her. Ally was shaking like mad, and tears were flowing down her cheeks. She looked over at John for help, and noticed the handle of his gun sticking out of his pocket. In desperation, she grabbed it, and pointed it at Eve.  
>"Let...let my cousin go...NOW." Eve looked surprised.<br>"Put the gun down, or I'll kill her!" Martha tried to kick at Eve, whimpering. She looked at Ally desperately.  
>"Please, please, Ally, please...I don't...don't wanna..." John was creeping around to the other side of the room, out of Eve 's paripheral. Ally was breathing heavily, but her crying had ceased.<br>"Let. Her. Go." Ally repeated, through clenched teeth. John had gone behind Eve and Martha by this point, nodding at Ally. Sherlock had gone into his mind palace, trying to work out all the different endings to this scenario. Eve could break down, crying, and they could retrieve Martha, have Eve arrested, close the case. Ally could shoot Eve before Eve could react, killing her...or, Eve could be completely unpredictable, and shoot Ally, John, or him. Ally could chicken out and not shoot her for "moral reasons", and Eve would shoot Martha in the temple, and of course there would be no chance of survival, her brains would blow out the other side of her head. So many different endings...which ending would they have to settle with? At present, Ally was shakily aiming the gun at Eve, and finally, she fired. Eve reacted quickly, firing her gun; not too fast, however, for John, who jumped from his spot and tackled Martha, saving her from the path of the bullet. Eve fell to the floor, dying, blood gushing from her neck onto the previously white floor. She was gasping for air, air that wouldn't come, and her eyes were wide with shock and horror. The four friends were gathered around her, looking down at her in horror. Sherlock looked over at John.  
>"J-John...do you think...she might...?" John shook his head slowly, shaking.<br>"Nothing to do for her now...there's no way I could..." He trailed off, his point quite clear. Eve opened her mouth wide, trying to breathe, her eyes wide, when she just...stopped. She stopped struggling. She stopped choking. There was a dead woman lying at their feet, and she was put there by one of them. Ally was weeping.  
>"I...I was aiming for her arm! I was aiming for her arm! I did-didn't mean to..." She dropped the gun, and fell to her knees as the murder weapon made a final sounding clack on the ground. "What have I done?!"<p> 


End file.
